Picking Up the Pieces
by ScarletRain7713
Summary: If you were given the opportunity to better a life, would you take it?


**I do not own Webkinz or their characters, but Kay, Leo, and Shane are mine. Enjoy my first KinzFic :)**

Shane was sitting lazily on the couch, cell phone on his right and laptop on his lap. He and Kay had been spending the past year on the Internet and in fast-food joints, searching continuously for work. He caught a lucky break during the school year, convincing the principal to let him run a fitness class open to students and teachers, a few bucks per week. Unfortunately, he was making nothing, now that summer had come, but at the same time was satisfied since his sister finally got her opportunity and was currently in an interview.

His search continued online until he heard a knock at the door. He got up and knocked on the door from the inside, mimicking whoever was on the other side.

"Open the door!" Kay said sternly, but Shane could hear faint snickers. He opened the door and was tackled in a hug. "I got it!"

"You got it? Yes!" he replied, and hugged back tightly. "I knew you would! Which job was this one for?"

"Helping out a vet. So simple a beginner, like me, can do it. I talked to the employer, and she set up a meeting with the doctor tomorrow. I told her about you, and she said you can come. She might even have something for you to do, too," Kay explained.

"Awesome! So, where at? I'll drive us," Shane said, being the only one of the two with a license. "A cute little neighborhood called Kinzville. I think it's foreign or something," Kay replied.

*The Next Day*

"Now, take this left and we should be close," Kay said, reading the GPS on her brother's phone.

"I know where I'm going," Shane replied.

"Oh really? Is that why we pulled over to ask for directions..." Kay smirked.

"Shut up!" Shane interrupted.

"...Twice," she giggled. "I will turn this car around!" Shane threatened playfully.

"Why would you? We're here," his sister informed, reading the sign saying 'Welcome to Kinzville!'

Suddenly, a Golden Retriever ran out in the middle of the road. He was wearing a red stripped T-shirt and jeans, with black sneakers on all four paws, running after a ball. Shane slammed on the brakes, and thankfully was far from hitting the pup. The siblings let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry mister!" said a child's voice. The two looked around for a child, but all that was there was the dressed pup. "I'll be more careful!"

Now they knew where the voice was coming from—the dog. "Uhh, sure, be safe little guy," Shane said out his window, and drove past slowly once the road was clear. "Kay... did that dog just apologize to me?" Shane asked in disbelief.

"I think so... Maybe the doctor can clear things up, let's just get there," Kay said, thinking of possible explanations. They arrived at a building labeled 'Dr. Quack's Clinic.'

"Let's hope this doctor isn't a quack," Shane said, chuckling at his play on words. "Get it?" He nudged his sister as they walked in.

Kay rolled her eyes and flatly said, "You're hilarious. Now behave yourself if you want some kind of job."

She knocked on the door to the doctor's office, and heard "Just one second, I'm with a patient," in a friendly tone. Soon the door opened and out came a small brown horse. "Thanks, Dr. Quack," he said, and galloped away. The two looked at each other before entering, and stood stiff when they saw a duck, about their height, in a white coat and bow tie.

"Ah, you must be Kay, my new assistant," Dr. Quack said, reaching out his hand/wing to shake. Kay snapped back to reality and took his hand.

"Yes, hi. And this is my brother, Shane," she forced herself to speak. The doctor took Shane's hand as well, and said, "By the looks on your faces, I'm assuming you've never visited Kinzville until now. Please, take a seat, and I will explain," he said kindly, offering two cushioned chairs. He explained how Kinzville was a place where animals often behaved like humans; they could get jobs, play arcade games, go on vacations, and even speak. He also explained that even though they have human qualities, people adopt them as if they were normal pets, help take care of them, and so on.

"It's kind of making sense," Kay said once he finished speaking. "Yeah, I think I get it too. Kay, you couldn't have picked a more perfect place to work. You don't have to hide your animal qualities," Shane said.

"Hey, your right. Doctor, we're both part animal, we just hide it from humans, but I guess we don't have to here," Kay said.

"Well, let's have a look," Dr. Quack encouraged. They both revealed their fox and wolf ears, tails, and claws. Dr. Quack was getting ready to ask some questions, but a page came in.

"Doctor, we have an emergency on our hands!" said a female voice.

"I'll be right there!" he replied. "You two should come with me to observe," he turned to the half animal siblings and said quickly. The two stayed hot on the duck doctor's trail as he walked quickly to the emergency room. There was a small, skinny lion with a fuzzy mane. He was covered in bruises and had a blackened eye.

"The poor thing," Kay said worriedly. "That's a case of abuse if I've ever seen one. And I have," Shane said. "He'll end up okay.. Physically, anyway."

Once the procedures were over, the lion had several bandages and medication for an infection he got through an open wound on his ear. He also had to spend the next hour or so with an I.V in his arm, to deliver nutrients that it seems he had gone days without. Dr. Quack ran over to Miss Birdy's, where adoptions were taken care of. All that was found was the lion's birth certificate.

"It seems as though the owner abandoned his little lion, Leo. The poor dear," Miss Birdy commented. "He'll have to go up for adoption again."

The doctor's face lit up a little. "He may not have to," he said, and calmly walked back to his clinic.

Kay and Shane were sitting in the waiting room, waiting for the doctor to return. He opened the door and announced that the lion's previous owner had abandoned him.

"That's a little obvious, doc," Shane said bluntly. Kay shot him a glare.

"Sorry for my brother's ignorance doctor. I'm sure what he meant was, what's gonna happen to the little guy?" she said. Dr. Quack sighed.

"Well, I'm not sure. We may have found a home for him already," said the doctor.

"Really?" Kay asked. "Who?" Shane followed. The doctor smirked and looked at the two of them. The siblings looked at each other, then back to the doctor.

"Us?" Shane asked. Dr. Quack nodded. "Who better to leave a broken lion with than one of my assistants?"

"I'd love to, doc," Kay started, "but my mother would never let me bring home a lion."

"How about you live in one of the available houses in town? I will help you financially as long as you put 100% into your work, and give the lion all the love and attention he needs," Dr. Quack offered.

Kay looked toward Shane. "You wouldn't have to live with my mother anymore," she smirked, knowing he and her mom weren't exactly friends. Shane shrugged.

"It's worth a shot. What's the worst that could happen?" he replied.

"Good, good!" Dr. Quack said excitedly. "While your little cub is resting, let's all take a walk to the Adoption Center, and Miss Birdy will help you take care of the paperwork."

All the paperwork consisted of was filling out a single form to have custody over the cub. Once they returned, the lion was up and moving about.

"Well, look at you," Dr. Quack smiled encouragingly. The lion stopped and coward.

"It's okay, Leo," Kay said, and walked over to him. "I'm Kay." she held out her hand and allowed Leo to examine it, and her, and finally say, "Hi."

"Such a quiet voice for a strong lion like yourself," Shane said, and knelled, trying to make a gentler approach as Kay did. "I'm Shane. Would you like to come home with us?"

The cub was confused, and obviously scared. "We'll take care of you, okay?" Kay said, trying to coax him into her arms. He walked on all fours cautiously, and allowed her to lift him.

"Come on, I'll lead you to your Kinzville home," Dr. Quack said. "It's a walking distance from here, so you should have no problem getting to the clinic on work days, Kay."

"Awesome!" she exclaimed, while walking in the middle of Shane and Dr. Quack, cradling Leo like you would an infant. After a few more minutes of walking and talking, they reached a small, yet stable house. They entered, and it was completely empty—no furniture, no kitchen appliances... Nothing.

"I'll be sure you at least have some food and three beds before today is over," the doctor stated. "As for right now, go on and explore Kinzville. I bet Leo could show you two around, huh?" he said, and patted the cub on the head, who had calmed down a good bit. He actually smiled.

"Well, I know what you can do! Why don't you show Kay and Shane the Park?" the doctor asked with enthusiasm. Leo swung his tail back and forth and said, "Okay."

"Good." said Dr. Quack. "I'll give you some time to get to know each other, and call you when I have the beds."

"Sounds good, doc," Shane replied, rubbing the cub's non-infected ear. The doctor left to talk to Arte, seeing if he is selling any cheap furniture, while Kay put Leo down and he led the way to the Park.

At the Park, there was slides, swings, seesaws, and many pets to play with. However, it seemed as though Leo wasn't very social. Kay and Shane tried to get him to play with other pets, but he was having none of it. He preferred to play on his own, and only played with his new family when he needed pushed on a swing.

"I'm worried, Shane. He's pretty quiet and shy, for a lion," Kay mentioned while Leo was occupying himself in a sandbox.

"He's been traumatized. He'll open up again when he's ready," Shane explained. Kay didn't bother asking how he knew, he never answered.

An hour had been spent in the Park before Dr. Quack called back, saying he and Arte are moving the beds in and would like some help. Kay, Shane, and Leo walked back to the house just in time to unload two of the three beds.

"Kay, Shane, I would like to introduce you to Arte," Dr. Quack introduced.

"Hi, Arte," Kay said. "Hey, Arte. Thanks for the beds," Shane said.

"Hi there. Your very welcome. After hearin' about you two taking in a helpless cub, I didn't mind one bit giving you the beds. What you guys are doin' for little Leo there is real nice," Arte complimented.

"It's what's right. We're happy to," Shane replied, patting his new lion cub on his head.

"Come visit the Curio Shop sometime. I can usually give a good bargain, and let you into the mines to do some gem huntin'," Arte said.

"I'll bring Leo out tomorrow while Kay is at the Clinic. You start early tomorrow, don't you?" Shane asked his sister. She looked to Dr. Quack.

"7:30 until noon tomorrow. If you need, I can fit you in some other time," the doctor offered.

"Nah, It's okay. I work better in the morning anyway. Besides, it'll give me the rest of the day to spend with Leo and Shane," Kay replied.

"Great! I shall see you in the morning, Kay," the doctor said, heading out the door.

"I'm gonna head on out, too. I'll be seeing you and Leo, Shane. Take this, just in case," Arte said, giving Shane a map of Kinzville.

"Thanks, Arte," Shane said, shaking the dog's hand/paw, and he left as well.

Once they left, Kay picked up Leo like an infant again and took him to what was going to be his room.

"Once Shane and I start earning money, we'll make your room amazing," Kay said softly, setting him in his bed. Shane came in and gently rubbed the cub's good ear. The siblings, thinking the cub was asleep, we're quietly walking out the door, but they heard a faint voice.

"Will you two be here when I wake up?" Leo asked with a tired gaze. It was the most he had spoken all day. Kay and Shane turned around to face his direction.

"Of course we will, Leo," Kay said. "We aren't going anywhere, little guy," Shane added.

"Okay," the lion said before he fell asleep. The siblings looked at each other for a moment.

"We'll find a way to make it work out," Shane said encouragingly. "We always do," Kay replied with a thoughtful smile.

"Good night, Shane."

"Good night."

**Reviews are very much appreciated :) **


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